The reason why many people on the left think they need government to control the economy and spending is simply because they don’t have faith in their fellow mankind. Why is this? Part of the reason is they think most of us are incapable, full blown idiots who don’t have the capacity to earn our own money and, those who do, lack the authenticity to aptly spend it. However, the main reason is because most people lack faith, period. They lack faith in others, but what they don’t realize is that they also lack faith in themselves. What we portray onto others is a reflection of what we see, or what we don’t see, in ourselves. And they lack faith in themselves because they don’t believe we were all created in the image and likeness of God.
There is a correlation between those who are unfaithful and those who believe that people need to be “controlled” by people, or by higher authoritative power – complete government control. They don’t believe in a higher power so they believe that matters must be taken into their own hands and those who “know better” have to establish order and delegate spending. As we have recently seen, a disguised form of socialism has already been established in our country. Ultimately, a Totalitarian system that is created by the people results in greater oppression of the people it was designed to “serve.” Government control of the people, when taken to an extreme, further demands the abolition of both
Religion and the Absolute Morality founded upon Religion. Communism, ironically, attempts to enhance civility within society but it essentially removes all notions of Absolute Morality, the very cornerstone of civility.* This fact has been demonstrated and confirmed throughout the course of history. Consider, for example, the words of one of America’s greatest presidents:
“If an American is to amount to anything he must rely upon himself, and not upon the State; he must take pride in his own work, instead of sitting idle to envy the luck of others. He must face life with resolute courage, win victory if he can, and accept defeat if he must, without seeking to place on his fellow man a responsibility which is not theirs.” Theodore Roosevelt
If most of us also believed that we are not ultimately in control- our Creator is, then we would loosen our grip on society and let deviant economic adversity restore itself. This is not to say we should throw caution to the wind, rather it is to say that we should set boundaries and if they are broken those who break them should reap the damages. Those who don’t play by the rules need to suffer the ramifications of their actions in order to understand their effects on themselves and others. It is in their best interest, and ours, to incur the punishment of their own misjudgment. The bigger our government the less incentive and motivation our people will have to hold themselves accountable or keep themselves in line. Our government is like a “big daddy” opening his wallet to bail out his children’s overspending and irresponsibility. The few responsible children have to carry the load to overcompensate for the slackers.
We should examine our moral consciences and follow the Golden Rule: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you; or don’t do anything to others you would not want to have done to you. This means before a person makes a decision in business or otherwise they would have to ask themselves, “How would my actions affect others,” (e.g. other people, my company, my family, my community, my country?) The problem is the amoral don’t have the capacity to understand this and it appears that many of them are CEOs.
The Agnostic doesn’t have faith in a higher power, yet they have faith in themselves alone. How could a human being have faith in himself when he doesn’t have faith in others? Do they believe that certain people were magically gifted the power to rule and the authority to know how to spend our money? And where did this gift come from- a force beyond or a force within? How could it come from a force within when they don’t believe in humankind? If you take this argument to its logical conclusion, they would have to have faith in humankind, for to have faith in Totalitarianism would mean that human beings must have the capacity and the power to govern their people, but therein lies the contradiction.
When we live in fear we live without faith. When fear takes over, our approach to repair problems becomes irrational and hasty. Hitler took over Germany during a time of severe repression and intense fear. Are we going to stand flat footed and watch the swinging of the pendulum again?
Capitalism as free enterprise thrives when we simultaneously keep one another’s best interest in mind. When the competition gets too fierce, greed starts to rear its ugly head and our system of checks and balances gets out of whack. The key is that we need to have our own internal system of checks and balances, that is; our own moral conscience to keep us in line. Yes, the power needs to remain with the people but the question is: Do our people have the moral conscience to do what is right? When we know in our hearts that we are always doing the right thing, for ourselves and for each other, then there is nothing to fear. There is a big difference between conscious backstabbing and making honest mistakes in judgment and admitting to them. No matter how hard we try to evade the truth, it will always prevail and redemption will come to those who deserve it.
“Government is not the solution to our problem. Government is the problem.” Ronald Reagan
